Three former journalists at Rupert Murdoch 's defunct British tabloid News of the World have pleaded guilty to phone hacking , British media reported Wednesday , citing the prosecution in the case .

The three who pleaded guilty are Neville Thurlbeck , James Weatherup and Greg Miskiw .

They were among a group of people who went on trial this week in the much-anticipated case .

The highest profile defendants are Rebekah Brooks , a protégé of global media baron Murdoch , and Andy Coulson , a former spin doctor for British Prime Minister David Cameron -- both former editors of News of the World .

It is not clear how the guilty pleas from the three journalists will affect the cases against their former bosses .

The phone-hacking accusations have reverberated through the top levels of British politics and journalism and prompted a parliamentary committee to issue damning criticism of Rupert Murdoch , whose News Corp. owned News of the World through its UK subsidiary , News International .

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After the scandal , Murdoch stepped down from a string of company directorships and abandoned a multibillion-dollar bid to acquire satellite broadcaster BSkyB .

Suspected hacking victims include some of the world 's biggest celebrities , including Angelina Jolie , Brad Pitt , Jude Law , Paul McCartney and soccer star Wayne Rooney , as well as victims of crime and the July 7 , 2005 , London terrorist attacks .

Brooks and Coulson were close to British Prime Minister David Cameron . Coulson , who edited the News of the World from 2003 to 2007 , went on to become Cameron 's director of communications before resigning early in 2011 . Brooks was a friend of the prime minister and his wife .

Brooks , formerly chief executive of News of the World 's parent company , News International , part of Murdoch 's News Corp. empire , also faces a charge of perverting the course of justice .

But the most explosive charge against her is plotting in 2002 to eavesdrop illegally on the voice mail of missing British schoolgirl Milly Dowler , who was later found murdered .

Public anger after the revelation in 2011 that the missing girl 's phone had been hacked forced Murdoch to close News of the World , which Brooks edited at the time of the hacking . She then became editor of The Sun newspaper before taking up the chief executive role .

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Brooks , Coulson and fellow former News of the World employees Stuart Kuttner , Greg Miskiw , Ian Edmondson , Neville Thurlbeck and James Weatherup are accused of conspiring between October 3 , 2000 , and August 9 , 2006 , `` to intercept communications in the course of their transmission , without lawful authority . ''

Specifically , the charge asserts that they listened to `` voice mail messages of well-known people . ''

Brooks , Coulson , Kuttner , Miskiw , Thurlbeck and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire face an additional charge of intercepting Dowler 's messages .

Brooks , her husband Charlie Brooks and a former personal assistant also face a separate set of charges of conspiring to obstruct the police investigation into phone hacking . They were charged in May 2012 , along with Brooks ' former driver , a security guard and members of News International security staff , with attempting to pervert the course of justice .

The hacking scandal prompted Cameron to set up an independent inquiry , led by Lord Justice Leveson , to make recommendations on journalistic ethics and examine the relationship of the press with the public , police and politicians .

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Three News of the World journalists plead guilty to phone hacking in trial in London

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Neville Thurlbeck , James Weatherup and Greg Miskiw plead guilty , report British media

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Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson are accused of conspiring to hack voice mails

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They both formerly edited the now-defunct News of the World newspaper